>> reporter: joe michael love pulled out his cell phone to record the twister while miles away it destroyed a church, some homes and his son's high school. >> that band room is almost destroyed. the fieldhouse is gone. all the portable buildings and classrooms are gone. >> reporter: near houston a tornado destroyed buildings and tore down power lines. this woman and her husband couldn't get away in time. >> we don't leave because the truck was off the ground. it wouldn't go. finally it touched the ground and we took off. >> reporter: damage from a tornado in pearl river, mississippi, stretched a mile wide and 8 people were taken to the hospital. ted williams' family was home celebrating christmas when it hit. >> went into the laundry room and sat down. >> reporter: further north a massive snowstorm is the problem. snow and ice covered the roads in oklahoma. >> got my chains on. i'm probably the only one with chains on driving around going 5 miles an hour. >> reporter: the storm is pick up steam as it heads through arkansas into the midwest. within those warning areas blizzard conditions are